Occupational Safety and Health
Question 1.
Some companies, take the position that every confined space requires a permit until it is determined that one is not needed.
a. What are the benefits of such a policy? Do you see any disadvantages?
b. You are asked to evaluate several confined spaces and let management know if each needs a permit. When visiting and testing the spaces, you find the following conditions. Explain why each would or would not cause a space to be classified as permit required.
1) The oxygen level is 18.0 percent.
2) The temperature is 120F.
3) The space contains shelled corn.
4) A ladder must be used to enter the space.
Answer:
The permit for the confined space will help offer protection to the authorized employee that will enter the confined place that can be exposed to the dangerous atmospheres, hazardous material and chemicals that can be trapped because of the converging or sloping walls.
There are companies and organization that takes the position that every confined space requires a permit until it is determined that one is not needed. The said policy will be beneficial to the employees who are working regularly in different confined place, because there will be added security and protection. On the other hand, the organization can ensure the safety of the entire infrastructure due to the fact that all of the employees who are working in the said space are professionals. It also enables scarce expert resources to be apportioned in efficient way. The main disadvantage is that permit system is best if the hazardous conditions are already known from the previous experience and if the control measures have been tried and proven effective (1998). Thus it indicates that safety representative have enough knowledge regarding all the possible cases in confined places.
1) The oxygen level is 18.0 percent - would not cause a space to be classified as permit required. This is due to the fact that according to the standard of OSHA, if the oxygen is between 18% and 22%, Lower Explosive Limits are at zero, toxic materials at zero ppm, thus the space is considered as free from atmospheric hazard, thus the entry can be proceeded. Oxygen-enriched atmospheres are those atmospheres that contain an oxygen concentration that is greater than 22%. It will cause flammable materials like clothing and hair to burn violently when ignited
2) The temperature is 120F - would not cause a space to be classified as permit required, because exposure to temperature that is above 120 degree F may cause bursting.
3) The space contains shelled corn – would cause a space to be classified as permit required. This is due to the fact that the shelled corn can create dust that can cause potential hazard.
4) A ladder must be used to enter the space – this condition will depend on the type of the confined space as well as the type of the ladder that is used. It is important to consider that the most important thing is to make sure that the employees are comfortable in using the ladder.
The confined space access ladders should be designed as a vertical structure system in order to allow clear entry and exit, when employee are being lifted or lowered in a harness. Furthermore, a vertical ladder system will help to prevent harness trauma by process of allowing the personnel to climb under his or her control, at the same time, not being fully suspended throughout the confined space access operation. Vertical ladders allow the climber to maintain their balance as well as maintain the balance that helps them to avoid any swing and rotation throughout the entire access operation
Question 2.
A) A portable ladder is needed to climb onto a rooftop 14 feet high. How long should the ladder be? Explain your answer.
The portable ladder should be 14 feet high also, but due to the fact that for every meter in height, the ladder must be extend out from the vertical surface at the base by about 250mm, thus the rungs, steps and cleats will be leveled parallel and uniformly spaced. It is important to consider the rungs must be spaced from 10 to 14 inches apart. This will lessen the real height of the portable ladder. In that case, there will be some meters that will be deducted to the actual height of the ladder.
It is important to consider that that ladder must not be long enough in order to provide at least one meter of solid support beyond the actual height of the task. Where it can be essential to get onto or off at the top of the ladder, it must be extended to at least 1 meter above the level that is being accessed. This is due to the fact that the general rule states that a ladder must be used as a means of access and not a place of work (, 2008).
B) A block-and-tackle arrangement has two sheaves on the lower block and the end of the wire rope is also attached to the load block, which weighs 100 pounds. The nominal breaking strength of the rope is 10,000 pounds. Calculate how much payload this assembly can allowably pick up. Show your work.
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